I was tired, flipping from one Amazon Prime movie to another. Watched one on Japanese internment camps for about half an hour. Flipped more and started watching this one though I was about to fall asleep. By golly, stayed up for the entire two more hours.What to say? A situational, hilarious, farce, sexy, mistaken identity comedy. I really didn't know who Marcia Gay Harden was, then I realized I'd seen her in lots of stuff, but, wow, what an actress. And, Leonor Watling, seems I've seen her in something before, but she's the best voluptuous and dumb (and funny) I've seen since Mira Sorvino in Mighty Aphrodite.The story line doesn't quit. You think it's over, but it ain't. More stuff and twists just keep happening.

Just as her husband says he will be coming home late, Madelyn sees him with another woman in the coffee shop. Instead of confronting them, she meet the woman, and oddly, becomes her friend. Written and directed by Joan Carr Wiggin, whose works are all about relationships, marriages, engagements. Marcia Harden is Madelyn, whose husband Paul is cheating with the MUCH younger Lucy (Leonor Watling). They strike up a friendship, lots of talking, discussing, psycho-analyzing, kind of like a woody allen movie. But... Madelyn doesn't tell Lucy that she is "the wife", and already knows what they are up to. They agree to help each other. Some funny lines. Lots of cussing, so leave the young uns back home! It's mostly a fun roller coaster of an adventure. Misunderstandings, lies, the usual caper ingredients. It's not always sure what it wants to be; netflix has this under COMEDY, but it's really a drama. Some serious scenes with Madelyn's mother, who is not at all well. Madelyn is very real, and she is all around us, with her sense of humor, and weaknesses. Check it out! Not bad.

Loved it! I just stumbled upon this movie on new releases on Netflix and was watching it while working in my studio. It is funny without being cute, poignant at times without being maudlin and downright fun. I love the premise of the movie, the likes of which I've not experienced elsewhere - and heaven knows it's rare to find a new plot!Although Marcia Gay Harden steals the show, I think the other actors effectively support her lead. I don't often watch any film more than once, but I would watch this again with someone who's seeing it for the first time, for sure. The last romantic comedy that fit this category for me is Love Actually, which is one of the few movies I own and enjoy watching periodically.

"If I were You" is a frustrating film to watch, though I do recommend it. Why frustrating? It's because it is almost like two or three different portions of films tossed together--and this is disconcerting. For example, the film starts off as a funny little comedy but then later it's depressing and maudlin and later it's a romance! I really wish the film had maintained a tighter focus--perhaps then it would have made money. Still, with some wonderful acting from Marcia Gay Harden and many wonderful moments, it is still very good.The film begins with a woman (Harden) discovering that her husband is cheating on her. However, in a weird (and funny) twist, she sees the mistress about to kill herself and must intervene. No matter how much she hates her, she has some compassion and won't just stand back and see her die. Soon, in a weirder twist, the two become very good friends--though the mistress has no idea that her new friend is her lover's wife! There is MUCH more to the film than this--and as I said before, the film has great difficulty maintaining focus in style or plot. It's a shame, as the film is VERY funny in places.So would you like my advice? Well, you are reading this, so I assume you do. First, don't let kids watch the film--it's just too adult. Second, watch it if you are willing to look over the uneven bits, as there is so much good in this one.By the way, if you like this film, try watching Harden in "Canvas"---another small and overlooked film in which her acting really, really shines.